Cheers: The Malones Sam and Diane Maura's World
by vodkarocks
Summary: A few people have asked me to continue writing stories about Diane and Sam's children. This story is Maura centric with a heavy dose of Sam and Diane. It takes place in summer 1999, six years after their wedding when the twins are five years old. Enjoy! What a cutie little Maura is.
1. Chapter 1

**The Malones **

**Maura's World**

**Summer 1999**

"**Daddy, where's mommy?" **

"**Mommy and Gaga went shopping. She'll be home before lunchtime."**

"**Daddy, Joey and his friend are being mean to me." **

"**Oh no sweetheart, what are they doing to you?"**

"**I want to have a tea party and they won't have one with me."**

**Sam looked up from weeding the garden and smiled at five year old Maura. She is such a girly girl, he thought to himself, so much like her mother. Usually she was able to get her twin brother to do anything she wanted him to do, but today Joey had a friend over to play.**

"**Honey, Joey isn't being mean to you by not wanting to have a tea party. He and his friend must be playing something that boys like to play. What are they doing in the house anyhow?"**

"**They're pretend shooting each other," said Maura.**

"**Wait a minute. Mommy doesn't allow toy guns in the house. What are they shooting each other with?"**

"**Mommy's high heeled shoes," said Maura.**

**Sam laughed and couldn't wait for Diane to get home to witness her theory on toy guns in action. Her theory has been that if children are allowed to play with toy guns, they become too conditioned to violence. Sam's theory regarding toy guns has been that if little boys don't have any toy guns they will use Barbie Dolls (or high heeled shoes in this case) and pretend they're guns. Apparently shoes were used since Diane also doesn't allow Barbie Dolls in the house (too adult-like for young girls). Sam always loved to good naturedly tease Diane about her theories.**

"**Maura, honey, I fixed the chain on your bike. Why don't you ride it up and down the sidewalk and watch for mommy to get home? She and Gaga will have a tea party with you when they get home and if they can't, I will," said Sam.**

"**Okay daddy."**

"**Remember though, you can't go around the corner or the block, just stay on the sidewalk on this side of the block. When you're six you can ride around the block."**

**Maura smiled her sweetest little smile and told Sam she wouldn't go around the block. **

"**Now remember, I don't want to have to take away your bike again because you didn't listen," Sam called as she disappeared down the driveway.**

**Maura's personality always delighted Sam. She was independent like her mother but a risk taker like Sam. She bent the rules whenever it suited her. She was indignant whenever she got caught and given a consequence. She was also talented, funny, friendly and cute as a button. Sam reminded himself to never be too stern with her when she did break a rule, which she did with regularity, because he never wanted to crush her spirited nature. **

**Sam was mowing the lawn as Diane and Margaret drove into the driveway followed by Maura on her bicycle. Maura hopped off her bike when she spotted Margaret and threw her arms around Margaret giving her a hug. "Guess what Gaga, I just met a new friend who lives down the street." **

"**Mommy, can I invite my friend Adele over to have a tea party? She said she wants to meet us."**

"**Of course you can honey. Why don't you ride your bike to her house and ask her to come now? She can have lunch with us. Make sure to get her phone number so I can call someone to make certain they know where she is."**

"**I think I'll walk to her house. I don't think Adele has a bike," and with that Maura took off running down the driveway.**

**Margaret took some packages into the house and Diane walked over to Sam.**

"**Sam, you look like a ditch digger. You have dirt all over your face and arms and you haven't shaved today. Kind of a sexy ditch digger though," she smiled, "and if you had a tool belt around your waist I'd really be turned on."**

**Sam laughed and said,**

"**Watch it or I'll wrap my grimy arms around you, kiss you with my dirt encrusted lips, and pass off some of this mud onto your perfect little light blue sundress. I plan on showering as soon as I'm done in the yard. Couple minutes more." In saying that, he lunged toward her and she ran into the house, laughing like a school girl.**

**Sam was putting his garden tools and fertilizer away still smiling at his and Diane's funny exchange. He pulled his tool belt out intending to put it on before he went into the house knowing it would make Diane laugh. A woman walked into the backyard holding Maura's hand. She looked to be about seventy-five or eighty but tanned and healthy looking dressed in stylish clothes, with cotton white hair and bright blue impish eyes. **

"**This charming young lady has just invited me to lunch and a tea party. She told me that her parents approved the invitation and, in fact, she has a note that has asked that I bring a phone number so that my whereabouts can be resolved," the woman said with a wink. "My name is Adele Monaghan, I live in the house on the corner."**

"**How do you do Adele. My name is Sam Malone and I'm Maura's father. I don't mean to act surprised but we were expecting someone…" Sam smiled and said, before he stopped himself.**

"**You mean someone slightly younger? I gathered as much Sam but I couldn't resist this precious child's invitation. She is one of the most endearing children I've ever met. She's been helping me in my flower garden this morning. I'm very impressed at her knowledge of the different varieties of flowers. I think she knows more than I do. Now that I look around your yard, I can see where she's learned it."**

"**Well thank you Adele. Maura works with me in the garden and as you probably know by now, asks a lot of questions."**

**Adele smiled and nodded at Sam.**

"**Maura," Diane called from the deck, "what are my high heeled shoes doing on the dining room table?"**

"**Joey was using them, I wasn't."**

**Sam burst out laughing and so did Adele. **

** "What was Joey doing with my shoes Maura?"**

** "Shooting his friend."**

**Diane walked down the steps laughing and ready to meet the woman talking to Sam. She said as she walked, **

"**Sam, I'll just bet you love this don't you. That little stinker, he used my favorite shoes too." **

**Diane held out her hand to Adele and introduced herself. She was as surprised as Sam had been in learning that this was Maura's new friend. **

** "Adele, I do hope you'll stay for lunch. A friend of Sam's is stopping in, the children's adopted grandmother is here, and her friend Charlie is coming over too. I can promise you that I won't let my son shoot you with my high heeled shoes and Sam has also promised to clean himself up before lunch," Diane laughed as she turned to Sam.**

** "Diane, I'd love to stay. I knew when I met this special little girl that I would have fun at her house. What can I do to help?"**

** "Nothing, nothing. Just sit and visit with us. Come in and I'll introduce you to Margaret."**

** "Margaret must be Gaga. Maura told me all about Gaga and her friend Charlie, among other things. She said they weren't anyone's parents, only her grandparents," said Adele with a smile.**

**As Diane and Adele turned toward the house Margaret's friend Charlie walked into the yard. **

** "Charles, is that you?" said Adele, "What are you doing here?" **

**Charlie stopped and stared at Adele. He looked happy but bewildered.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Cheers: The Malones**

**Maura's World**

**Chapter 2**

**Diane, Adele, Margaret and Charlie were in the house laughing at some of the things Maura had told Adele about the Malone family. Maura had skipped out of the room to get her tea party dishes after Diane clarified to her that she wasn't a 'medical' doctor who could make people well, like Maura had told Adele, but an "English Literature" doctor. **

** "Diane, could you come out to the deck for a minute. I want to show you something," called Sam from the yard.**

** "Excuse me everyone, I'll be right back," she said while walking out of the double French doors, "What is it Sam?"**

**Sam stood in the yard still covered in dirt from head to toe with his tool belt draped around his waist, smiling.**

** "Is there anything in the house you'd like me to work on lady?" he said as he laughed.**

** "Oh Sam, you're incorrigible. We have a house full of people right now." **

**Diane walked back into the house laughing at Sam, as always. **

** As she smiled at Diane, Adele said, "So Maura was right about her father. When I asked her what her father did besides grow flowers she gave me a list of things he did."**

** "I'm dying to know…or am I?" said Diane.**

** "Well, she told me that he washes his car, fishes, and goes and to baseball games. She said that he has a girlfriend named Carla that works at the bar where Norman and Clifford live and he goes there and stays very late at night. She also said that when he gets up in the morning he hugs and kisses her mother and makes her laugh. At least I know the **_**he makes her laugh part is true. **_**You can see why I couldn't wait to meet you,**_**" **_**Adele grinned.**

**Diane, Margaret, and Charlie were crippled with laughter.**

** "I think I should fill Maura in on what her father actually does for a living, shouldn't I?"**

**Diane explained to Adele exactly what Sam does and they all had a robust laugh at Maura's innocent take on her father's life through her eyes.**

**Adele looked over at Charlie, or Charles as she called him, and took his hand saying, "I know you're all wondering how Charles and I know each other. Charles, do you mind if I talk about it?" **

"**Of course not Adele. Enough years have passed without our talking, let alone talking about it. Maybe it's time we did."**

"**You see, Charles was married to my sister who had mental health issues and became a severe alcoholic. To my most profound regret, I divorced myself from my sister because of her behavior and in doing so, I lost touch with Charles too. Charles took care of my sister and the children without my assistance until she died."**

**Adele let a tear drop and continued, "He is the dearest man I know. He was so kind and loving to her throughout it all. Charles is the definition of the phrase in wedding vows '**_**in sickness and in health'. **_**I so regret that I didn't help Charles with my sister when she was alive and keep in touch with him these last eight years since her death."**

**Margaret reached over and patted Adele's hand saying, "And if not for little Maura another eight years might have passed. We can't let that happen now, can we?"**

"**Margaret, I'm so grateful that Charles has found happiness with you and this precious family," Adele said as she let another tear drop.**

"**I am too Adele, I am too."**

** Moments later Sam walked into the house to head upstairs and clean up and Maura walked into the room with her china ladybug tea set.**

"**Sam, lunch will be ready in about fifteen minutes. Bring Joey and his friend with you when you come down stairs."**

"**Mommy, I need help with something," said Maura.**

** As Diane and Maura conspired at the kitchen island, Adele and Charlie continued their reunion conversation which turned from tears to fond remembrances. **

**Sam strolled into the kitchen followed by Joey and his friend Timmy. As they came in Norm appeared at the back door. Everyone shouted "Norm" except for Diane, Maura, and Adele. Diane and Maura looked up and said in unison, "Norman" and smiled at him. Joey said to Norm, "What's up Norm?" Norm replied, "The noise level my stomach is making. I'm starving." Adele shook her head and laughed.**

**When lunch was over Diane announced that the 'Tea Party' was about to begin. Maura walked to each person and put a place card in front of them at the table. She had written each of their names, in her five year old script, with Diane's help.**

** "Daddy, do we have to do a tea party? That's for girls," said Joey.**

** "So are high heeled shoes just for girls," said Sam, "and, yes, you have to do a tea party. This is important to your sister."**

**Maura walked around the table with a tray offering a variety of ' tea party' drinks, chocolate milk or lemonade in china pots, and cookies. She got to Norm and Norm said,**

** " Maura, remember the last tea party we had? You had another kind of**

'**tea' for me to drink. Do you have any of that today?"**

** "Oh Norman, that's right. Daddy, grab a beer for Norman please and pour some in this pitcher. And grab some beer nuts too," she said.**

** "That's more like it," laughed Norm.**

**Adele requested the type of 'tea' that Norman had, as did Charlie. Maura was quite particular about expectations she had for each of her guests and that included placing a small polka dot napkin on laps and raising their pinky fingers in the air as they sipped their 'tea'. They all complied with her wishes. Sam beamed at her as he thought to himself **_**Little Diane.**_** Diane took a picture of Norm raising his pinky finger as he sipped his 'tea' from a tiny cup decorated with Ladybugs. She hoped that Sam would post it on the wall at Cheers.**

**Tea party over, Margaret and Charlie walked Adele to her house wanting to continue with their reunion, Norm played Nintendo with Sam, Maura, and Joey while Diane cleaned up and read for a while. In the evening, after the children were bathed, Diane sat in the rocking chair with Maura while Sam read a book to Joey.**

** " Maura, what song should we sing tonight?"**

** " How about **_**White Coral Bells **_**Mommy," said Maura.**

**Diane and Maura began singing;**

_**White Coral Bells upon a slender stalk**_

_**Lilies of the Valley deck my garden walk**_

_**Oh don't you wish that you could hear them ring**_

_**That can only happen when the fairies sing.**_

**Maura made Diane repeat the song over and over until she fell asleep in her mother's arms. Diane thought to herself '**_**Maura is the little fairy that can make flowers ring'. **_**Sam lifted Maura up and carried her to bed while Diane walked Joey to bed. **

** "Joey, let's you and I do something together tomorrow- just us," said Diane. "How about fishing in the pond again, early in the morning, and having powdered sugar donuts and milk while we sit on the pier."**

** "I get to dig for worms. Yes," said Joey.**

**Diane tucked Joey into bed and quietly left the room, closing the door. As she entered their bedroom to change into her nightgown Diane saw Sam standing in the middle of the room in his plaid boxer shorts wearing his tool belt and smiling.**

** "You really are incorrigible Sam, just incorrigible, but you do make me laugh that's for sure."**


End file.
